Not Applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to decorative flower pot covers used to cover pots or containers containing plants, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to decorative flower pot covers used to cover pots or containers containing plants having substantial horizontal growth, such as, but not by way of limitation, gesneriads such as African violets, as well as the systems utilized to form such decorative flower pot covers, and the methods of using same.
2. Brief Description of the Art
Flower pot covers, also called decorative covers, have been used to decoratively cover a pot or container holding a plant for a number of years. Some flower pot covers, as well as the apparatus and methods used in their construction, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,182, entitled xe2x80x9cArticle Forming Systemxe2x80x9d, issued to Weder et al on Sep. 27, 1988, which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.
These decorative covers have been used to cover and hide the pot, and to act as a decorative wrap to make the present of a potted plant more festive. However, the decorative covers described above do not function well when used with plants having substantial horizontal growth, such as gesneriads, and in particular, African violets. Such plants grow much differently than other plants and therefore have different vulnerabilities. Gesneriads frequently are very delicate, and the underneath side of the leaves and petioles may be damaged by the decorative covers of the prior art. Such decorative covers are typically provided with a decorative border which flattens in response to the weight of leaves or flowers of a plant disposed therein, and when a plant having substantial horizontal growth is disposed therein, the configuration formed in the decorative border is distorted or lost. In such a flattened condition, the decorative border cannot hold or support the leaves and flowers of a plant having substantial horizontal growth. In fact, the material from which the decorative border of the decorative cover is constructed may rip or tear in response to the weight of the leaves and flowers of the plant having substantial horizontal growth disposed therein.
Therefore, improved decorative covers for plants having substantial horizontal growth, as well as methods for packaging and containing such plants for show, sale or maintenance thereafter, are being sought. It is to such decorative covers and methods for packaging plants having substantial horizontal growth that the present invention is directed.
The present invention relates to a decorative cover having a decorative border which holds, cushions and supports the leaves, petioles and/or flowers of a plant having substantial horizontal growth to prevent damage thereto. Broadly, the decorative cover is provided with a base having a closed lower end, an open upper end and an object retaining space. The decorative cover also has a decorative border or skirt extending from the open upper end of the base so as to be disposed at an upward and outward angle with respect to the open upper end of the base, and the angle at which the decorative border or skirt extends from the base of the decorative cover is at least 40xc2x0 relative to the horizontal axis of the base. The decorative border has a length which is at least substantially equal to the length of the leaves, petioles and flowers supported thereon when a plant is disposed in the object retaining space of the base of the decorative cover, and desirably, the length of the decorative border will be greater than the length of the leaves, petioles and flowers supported on the decorative border of the decorative cover.
The decorative border has a curvilinear, undulating, sinusoidal, or other similar configuration, which provides resiliency that permits the decorative border to yield to the weight of individual leaves, petioles and/or flowers, and to simultaneously hold and cushion the individual leaves, petioles and/or flowers of the plant supported on the decorative border. That is, the decorative border compresses underneath leaves, petioles and/or flowers supported thereon, thereby forming a partially compressed condition thereunder. When the decorative border is in a compressed condition, the angle of the decorative border relative to the base of the decorative cover decreases slightly such that the decorative border yields to the weight of the leaves, petioles and/or flowers of the plant while still maintaining the undulating configuration of the decorative border such that the decorative border holds, cushions and supports the leaves, petioles and/or flowers of the plant rather than flattening to a horizontal position which cannot provide any cushion or support.
The method of using the decorative cover includes the steps of providing the above-defined decorative cover, providing a plant having substantial horizontal growth contained in a pot, and disposing the pot containing the plant into the object retaining space of the decorative cover such that the base of the decorative cover substantially surrounds and encompasses the pot. The leaves and petioles of the plant are then positioned and arranged on the decorative border of the decorative cover whereby the decorative border yields to the weight of and resiliently cushions and holds the leaves and petioles of the plant. As stated above, the decorative border extends from the base of the decorative cover at an angle of at least 40xc2x0 relative to the horizontal axis of the base of the decorative cover, and the yielding of the decorative border in response to the weight of the leaves and petioles of the plant may result in a decrease in the angle of the decorative border while maintaining the undulating configuration of the decorative border which holds, supports and cushions the leaves and petioles of the plant having substantial horizontal growth.
An object of the present invention is to provide a decorative cover for plants having substantial horizontal growth.
Another object of the present invention, while achieving the before-stated object, is to provide methods for using a decorative cover for plants having substantial horizontal growth with such a plant.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.